


We should be lovers instead

by Sigmas_Ghost



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Non-Binary Character, Domestic Fluff, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, No Smut, Other, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28745292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sigmas_Ghost/pseuds/Sigmas_Ghost
Summary: I wanna ruin our friendship, we should be lovers instead. I don’t know how to say this...cuz you’re really my dearest friend.
Relationships: Hollis/Keith (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	We should be lovers instead

The soft staticky murmur of late night TV seeped into the sitting room of an apartment. The window next to the old tube TV was open halfway, allowing the cool West Virginia breeze to slip in through the gap. The sound of the conifers rustling lightly in the wind intermixed with various low volume sounds coming from the TV was lulling, to say the least. It was dark outside and the analog clock placed on top of the tv read: 1:45 am. Two bodies lounged on the old sofa that Hollis had found at a yard sale a few years earlier. The kitchenette light was still on, casting a warm yellow glow into the room and onto the ancient forest green carpet that came with the place. The apartment was ugly but it had character and it was, most importantly, very cheap. 

Hollis futilely tried to blink the sleep from their eyes, casting a sidelong glance at their guest. Keith lay sprawled out on the other side of the couch closest to the open window, head resting on his bicep which also rested on the arm of the couch. He fiddled with the neckline of his white T-shirt for a second before letting his free arm plop back onto the cushion in front of him. Hollis’ body was curled up, legs tucked in and arms underneath their head. Keith’s limbs were sprawled across most of the couch’s three cushioned surface. Both stared absently at the TV. 

The cool night air cycled in through the window, infiltrating the room and floating across the apartment’s inhabitants. Both were dressed for a quiet night in: T-shirts, sweatpants and pajama shorts. They had tried to find something good on TV, a movie maybe, or a rerun of a show, but nothing piqued the duo’s interest. So, there they both lounged, allowing boredom and the lethargy of the past week’s events catch up to them. Keith broke the lulling white noise with a couple of coughs but the room quickly settled back into its previous, uninterrupted state.

Hollis blinked a few times, trying once again to wake themself up. They propped themself lazily up onto their elbow and stretched one arm up into the air, screwing their eyes shut as they did so. Hollis reopened their eyes to catch Keith’s equality tired glance from across the couch. His eyes returned to the TV as he sighed loudly, almost breaking Hollis out of their sleepy trance. Having a sudden craving to do anything other than sink further into the couch, Hollis sat upright, slouching a bit as their feet touched the old carpet. They pushed off of the old cushions, hoisting themself upright, taking a few steps across the room. They wandered into the kitchenette, cold tile causing goosebumps to creep up their legs. 

“You want anything?” They said to Keith, reaching the countertop at last. Their voice sounded like a low croak from lack of use over the past few hours. He glanced up without moving his head. The harsh yellow light spilled across the countertop from the kitchenette, illuminating his body on the couch. 

“Nah…” he said, returning his gaze back to the TV

“Suit yourself…” they muttered, taking a glass out of one of the cabinets and pouring themself some water. They made their way back over to the couch and set the glass on the coffee table, a little water jumped from the glass and landed on the wooden surface. They gave Keith a nudge before fully sitting back down on the couch. This time, he fully lifted his head. His eyes were heavily lidded and he looked ready to fall asleep. He blinked a few times, looking very confused. 

“You still awake over there, bud?” They asked.

He grumbled, Hollis took that as a ‘maybe’. 

Keith sat up for a second before dragging himself over to Hollis. He lowered his head down into their lap, grumbling again. Hollis tried their best to cradle his head. They gently, as to not disturb their companion, propped their feet up on the coffee table. Then, they placed a gentle hand on this head. They didn’t know when they started or what force compelled them to do so, but at some point Hollis’ calloused hand had ended up in Keith’s hair. He muttered something but Hollis didn't catch it. Their head was tilted back, enjoying the sounds of Keith’s relaxed breathing and the warmth of his head against their thighs. Their other hand moves to rest on his shoulder. The buzz of the TV and the cool breeze moving in through the window gave Hollis even more of a warm feeling. This feels so  _ right _ . Like everything in this moment is perfect and meant to be, they thought.

Keith shifts so that he’s looking right up at them but so he’s still cradled in their lap. Hollis cracks their eyes open a smidge to stare down at him. A slight, content smirk finds its way to their lips. Their hand, once again, finds its way into his hair. 

“Hey,” he says in a hushed tone.

“Hey,” they say back. 

“You’re pretty comfortable,” he says as a tired smile creeps it’s way onto his face. 

“Thanks,” they let out an amused, quiet chuckle. Their hand is still gliding through his hair as he speaks again. His eyes closed. 

“Hol…” he says their name so softly, it’s almost inaudible and then he’s silent for about a minute. They think that maybe he finally drifted off into sleep. This thought comforts them. They like seeing him like this. Peaceful. But, he breaks the silence. 

“Hol there’s something I wanna tell you,” he says, cracking his eyes open a little bit. His voice wavers and he sounds...sad? Hollis’ heart begins to ache. They don’t want him to feel bad. A protective feeling washes over Hollis, but this isn’t anything new. Hollis has always been protective of Keith, they’re best friends after all. Have been since they were little. But this time it feels amplified tenfold. 

“...yeah?” They finally manage to croak out.

“This is gonna sound  _ so _ stupid but…” he trails off and shuts his eyes again. The more he speaks the more tired he sounds. Hollis wishes he’d just give in and go to sleep so they could talk about whatever stupid shit was bothering him in the morning. 

“Hollis, I  _ really  _ like you…” he says. He almost sounds like crying, they think. The almost silence that follows his statement is deafening. The quiet breeze and muttering of the TV suddenly sound a lot louder than before. 

“Oh?” They mutter, this certainly wasn’t what they were expecting to hear.

Keith jolts upright, he’s sitting on his knees looking at Hollis with anticipation, a touch of fear twinkling in his eyes.

“Shit Hollis I’m sorry,” he says ,”please don’t be mad.”

He begins again.

“I- I knew I shouldn’t have said anything, I didn’t wanna, you know…ruin our friendship or anything….” His hand darts up to cover his eyes. He pinches the bridge of his nose and scrunches up his face. 

“Keith?” They question quietly. “Hey, look at me,” they say softly in an attempt to comfort him in any way they can. They gently take one of his hands from off of the couch and squeeze it. He looks up. 

Suddenly, Hollis realizes something. As they look at Keith, they see someone who has always been there for them, someone who they care for with all of their heart, someone that they have fallen  _ madly _ in love with. 

“I…” They hesitate, “Keith, I like you to,” They say in a way reminiscent of breathing for the first time.

Hollis stared into Keith's eyes, his expression unreadable. The TV, which had been long forgotten, was beaming cascading colors onto the faces of the two lone occupants of the apartment. For a while, all they could do was stare at each other, a new, silent understanding permeating between them. Slowly, they both began to lean in, meeting in the middle to share a soft kiss. Keith’s hand cupped Hollis’ cheek. They threw their arms around his waist, pulling him closer. With a large inhale, they both pulled away. Hollis moved their arms up and wrapped them around his neck and then they pressed their forehead to his. They both begin to chuckle. 

“You have no clue how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he whispers.

“Well then today’s your lucky day,” Hollis replies, their cheeks hurt from the giddy smile that’s stretched across their sleepy face. 

Then, Keith lets out a loud yawn, breaking away from Hollis to reach his arms up into the air, grabbing fistfuls of the atmosphere in his long fingers.

Hollis yawns too, fatigue hitting them hard, no longer being kept awake by the electric buzz of the moment. 

“Hey man…” they say, mid yawn,” you wanna go to bed?”

Keith nodded, rubbing his eyes. 

“Alright then, come on ya’ big idiot…”

They stand, extending a hand to Keith, who gladly takes it. They yank his lanky body up off of the couch. He stands over them, resting his chin on their head, throwing his arms over their shoulders.

“Well now I can’t move,” They chuckle.

He begins to back off, but Hollis grabs his hand before stumbling over to turn off the TV, a dead silence washing over the room. 

They lead him over to the bedroom door, flicking the kitchenette light off as they pass. The door shuts behind Keith and the apartment is dark. Moonlight seeps through the still open window, a cool glow bathing the room. The West Virginia conifers sway in the breeze once again. Outside, nothing has changed, but inside, Hollis and Keith lay wrapped in each other's arms, Keith snoring lightly as they both fall deeper and deeper into sleep. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Howdy!! This is my first time posting!!! Apologies if any of this sounds bad, I couldn’t be bothered to have someone proofread lol


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